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Interview: Gein’s Family Giftshop

Gein’s Family Giftshop are bright young things from Manchester rejuvenating sketch comedy with their brand of brave, boisterous and dark edged sketches. Pitch perfect acting and original writing with bite has brought a plethora of awards their way, including Best New Sketch Act and the Audience Choice Award at London Sketchfest 2014. Hot off the heels of their critically acclaimed Edinburgh run, Ed Easton, James Meehan, Kath Hughes and Kiri Pritchard-McLean (not pictured) bring their Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Newcomer nominated show “Volume 1” to the Liverpool Comedy Festival. We chatted to the group about the show, Kath’s anger issues and Ringo Starr…

What is a “Gein’s Family Giftshop”?

It’s a shop with a no refund policy

How would you describe your show?

People say it’s dark but when you spend all your time watching horror films and googling medical marvels it seems fairly tame. Also, funny.

How did you get into comedy?

Kiri made us do it from an early age. Like the Jacksons. But instead of getting up early to dance and sing we’d have to watch Fawlty Towers over and over again, sometimes Jim slips into a Spanish accent without even realising.

Who are your comedy influences?

The League of Gentlemen, Terry Beefsheen, Big Train.

What’s the last thing that made you laugh out loud?

Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean home demo from 1981. Sometimes, no matter how passionate you are, you still need lyrics.

Which one of you would win in a fight?

Kath, the woman is built of pure rage. Jim bumped into her in the park one day and she was punching a seagull to death with both fists. She tried to say it was a Safeway’s bag but Jim knows that it wasn’t because Safeway shut down years ago.

Do you think anything will change having been nominated for Best Newcomer?

It already has, we’re doing loads more nice gigs and great festivals like Liverpool. Also Ed’s been able to sleep with the lights off since we got back which is a milestone we never though we’d see.

What’s your favourite thing about Liverpool?

Probably the fact that the good people of 2008’s Capital of Culture have made sure our show has sold out*. *if our show doesn’t sell out we’re going to tell everyone a woman punched Jim when we were in Liverpool and Ringo Starr was mean to us so make your choice wisely guys.

Catch Gein’s Family Giftshop’s “Volume 1” at 81, Renshaw on the 26th September, 8pm. Tickets are just £5, and the night is double headlined by Gein’s member Kiri Pritchard-McLean. Tickets and more info here.

You can also see them as part of The Skinny magazine’s Comedy Spotlight Showcase. More information here.

For more coverage of Liverpool Comedy Festival, check out our page here.